Abstract: There is disclosed a device that consists of a micro-mechanical switch consisting of an electrode, a gap between the electrode and an individually deflectable element, which has a vertical shutter attached to its underside. When the electrode is addressed the movement of the deflectable element causes the shutter to raise or lower. Such a device can be used in switching. One embodiment of such a use in waveguides is disclosed along with the method of manufacture.

Abstract: Integrated optical devices are provided wherein a film of polystyrene doped with methyl red (PS-MR) on a glass substrate, is masked, e.g. with one or more metallic strips on a glass plate and such film is irradiated with, e.g. a UV lamp, tuned within the absorption band of such film, in air, to photobleach the film portions around channels covered by the masking strips and reduce the refractive index thereof below that of the unbleached film channels. The bleached film portions then provide reflective beam confining interfaces which define the unbleached channels and form waveguides within the film. The invention takes advantage of photobleaching to change the index of refraction of portions of a thin film to define optical components therein and has located a class of films, including PS-MR, which, upon photobleaching, provide a considerable reduction in refractive index, enabling the definition of optical components in such film.

Abstract: Polarization of the optical fibers (24, 32) of pin-and-socket-type optical fiber termini is provided by extending a sleeve (44) around an optical fiber terminus (15, 26), positioning the optical fiber terminus in a body (11, 12) with the sleeve (44) and body having means for positioning the sleeve (44) in predetermined rotational position, then rotating the optical fiber terminus (15, 26) until its fiber (24, 32) achieves a known polarization, and bonding the fiber and sleeve together by an adhesive (57). The terminus (15, 26) and sleeve (44) may be removed from the body (11, 12) and placed in an optical fiber connector (64, 67) by positioning the sleeve in a known rotational position relative to the connector, which will cause the optical fiber to have a predetermined polarization in the optical fiber connector.

Abstract: In an optical MDF (main distributing frame) for interconnecting external subscriber optical lines (122) with office optical lines (131) through jumpering operation, a matrix waveguide (128, 129, 130) having a plurality of crosspoints coupled with external lines and office lines is used. The matrix waveguide has a groove (235 in FIG. 4A) at each crosspoint so that said crosspoint is switched ON or OFF depending upon whether said groove is filled with matching oil or not, so that one of the external lines is connected to the selected office line. Said matching oil has the same refractive index as that of waveguides. Each crosspoint groove is coupled with a respective oil pool (236), which supplies matching oil which has essentially the same refractive index as that of a waveguide to said groove.

Abstract: Reinforced protective tubes for optical waveguide fibers are provided. The tubes include an inner layer of a polyester elastomer, an outer layer of a polyvinyl chloride polymer, and two longitudinal reinforcing members composed of aramid fibers. The tubes have low thermal expansion, an outside diameter of less than about 1,000 microns, and can be used to form the pigtails of optical waveguide couplers. Methods for producing the protective tubes in which the reinforcing members and the plastic layers are coated onto a removable core member are also disclosed.

Abstract: A light coupling arrangement for efficiently coupling a light source to a light distribution arrangement includes a solid optical coupling device constructed of a light transmissive material and configured in an essentially planar manner such that the length and width dimensions are significantly greater than the depth dimension. An aperture is formed on at least one side along the equatorial surface of the optical coupling device and allows connection to the light distribution arrangement. A bore, formed in the optical coupling device and having a flat polished surface, houses the light source in a manner such that the optical coupling device can act as a heat sink for the light source.

Abstract: A switch for coupling a row of three input/output optical fibers. The switch is based on a spatial light modulator device, having a tiltable mirror element, with a grazing mirror layer, a lens layer, and a fiber holder layer assembled on top. The grazing mirror layer directs light to or from the outer fibers to or from the tiltable mirror and permits the fiber holder layer to hold the axes of the ends of the fibers parallel to each other. The lens layer is interposed between the fiber holder layer and the grazing mirror layer for coupling light into and out of the fibers.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording onto and reading from an optical disk includes an array of laser diodes that emit a plurality of laser beams with each beam at the diode source spaced a distance greater than about 50 .mu.m from adjacent beams. The apparatus includes a plurality of channel waveguides coupled to the plurality of laser diodes with each channel waveguide associated with a respective laser diode for directing light emitted by the diodes toward the optical disk for optical recording and for receiving reflected light from the optical disk for reading the optical disk. Each beam emanating from the channels is spaced from adjacent beams a preselected distance less than about 50 .mu.m.

Abstract: Disclosed are planar waveguides comprising substantially polarization-independent Bragg gratings. A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a Si body with a silica lower cladding layer thereon, and a phosphorus P-doped silica core on the lower cladding. Appropriate periodic recessed features are etched into the core, and phophorus P- and B-doped silica upper cladding is deposited over the core. The dopant concentrations are adjusted such that the refractive index difference between core and upper cladding is small (0.35-1.45.times.10.sup.-2), and such that the flow temperature of the upper cladding material is lower than that of the core material. In another preferred embodiment a thin layer of Si.sub.3 N.sub.x (x.about.4) is conformally deposited over the core after the grating etch, and the upper cladding material is deposited onto the Si.sub.3 N.sub.x layer. Bragg devices according to the invention are advantageously used in Integrated Optical Circuits (IOCs), e.g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave element comprising a substrate, an optical waveguide layer formed on the aforesaid substrate to guide laser light from a laser light source, a surface acoustic wave portion for deflecting or modulating the laser light traveling through the aforesaid optical waveguide layer, a comb-shaped SAW electrode provided on the aforesaid optical waveguide layer to cause the aforesaid surface acoustic wave portion to generate surface acoustic wave, and a terminal provided on the aforesaid optical waveguide layer and connected to the aforesaid SAW electrode to apply a high-frequency alternating voltage thereto, wherein a protection cover is bonded by a viscoelastic adhesive having a refractive index smaller than that of the aforesaid optical waveguide layer to cover the aforesaid SAW electrode and surface acoustic wave portion with air space in such a manner that the aforesaid terminal is positioned outside thereof, and the manufacturing method of the surface acoust